Editing Vernon, California (section)

==== Corruption charges ====
On November 15, 2006, the investigation into alleged public corruption in Vernon resulted in charges against the city's mayor, [[Leonis Malburg]], as well as his wife, his son, and the former city administrator. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office had launched an investigation in April 2005 upon allegations that the city's former administrator, Bruce Malkenhorst Sr., had misappropriated public funds for personal use.

Their investigation uncovered evidence of [[voter fraud]] on the part of the ruling family, which, it was asserted, tried to keep out new residents. Leonis Malburg, who has been mayor for 50 years, claimed he lived in a small Vernon apartment in the 2800 block of Leonis Boulevard (named after his grandfather, also a mayor), when in fact he was living in upscale [[Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California|Hancock Park]], Los Angeles. His wife and son also claimed to live in Vernon, voting in Vernon elections although evidence indicated they too lived in Hancock Park. Charges against the Malburgs included [[voter fraud]], assisting unqualified voters, false registration, and [[perjury]].<ref name="press" />

Malkenhorst Sr. was charged with 18 counts of "misappropriation of public funds" for reportedly taking $60,000 of city money for personal use. His salary from the city had been $600,000. Malkenhorst at one time collected a pension of $499,674.84.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web |url=http://database.californiapensionreform.com/ |title=California Pension Reform's 'The CalPERS 100K Club'<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=September 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100802020922/http://database.californiapensionreform.com/ |archive-date=August 2, 2010 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> In 2010, Malkenhorst received a reported $510,000 annual pension, plus health benefits, as former city administrator,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704388504575419600042368596?mod=googlenews_wsj |title=The Pension Bell Tolls |work=Wall Street Journal |date=August 10, 2010 |access-date=August 17, 2010}}</ref> the most of any of the 9,111 retired California government workers receiving pensions from [[CalPERS]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Malkenhorst retired in 2005.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}